Frame for turbo-driven machines.



R. H. RICE.

FRAME FOR TURBO DRIVEN MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG.16. 1913.

1,15,162. Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

Fi I.

F Inventor; 26 Richard H.. Rice;

RICHARD H. RICE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.FRAME FOR TURBO-DRIVEN MACHINES.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 28, 1915;

Application filed August 16, 1913. Serial N 0. 785,118.

' object is to provide aframe for such a machine which will be free from the dangerof. distortion by reason of unequal expansion and contraction 'ofits several parts;

which will sustain rigidly the stresses due to its weight and the inertia of rotating masses; which will be easy to assemble and take down, and will be economical to build;

In a horizontal turbine-driven machine, as in many other machines, it isimportant to maintain an'accurate alinementof the shaft. This is not easy to accomplish where all the parts are secured to a bed plate, owing to the unequal expansion and contraction of the turbine end as compared with the rest of the machine. Moreover, a bed plate cannot alwaysbe made stifl enough to withstand the stresses tending to distort the machine.

My invention aims to overcome these difliculties and to provide a frame for a turbinedriven set which, While permitting freedom of expansion and contraction, will rigidly maintain the shaft in perfect alinement,

and all parts of the machine in good operative relation, besides sustaining all t the stresses due to rotation.

The invention is applicable to horizontal turbo generators, turbine driven air compressors, and other direct-connected turbinedriven machines.

. For the sake of illustration I have selected a turbo-generator, and in the accompanying drawingFigure 1 is a side elevation of a turbo-generator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an exploded side elevation; Fig. 4:

shows a portion of the joint between the generator casing and the connecting member,

' verticalv planes.

and Fig. 5 is a section of said joint.-

The frame illustrated is composed essentially of five parts meeting preferably on When fastened together, these parts constitute a stiff girder, suiticiently deep in a vertical longitudinal plane to support rigidly the weight of the parts and also to resist'torsional stresses. Part A of this glrder frame is the'turbine casing which is composed of a cylindrical casting tightly, leaving it free to slide laterally when the casing expandslor contracts.

UPart B is the frame of the generator whose rotor is indicated in dotted lines.

This portion of the frame is a cylindrical casting which, like .part A, may be regarded as a tubular section of the girder, of considerable vertical depth and corresponding stiffness. On its under side, this part has. a

single sole-plate 11 resting on the foundat1on 9 and having a longitudinal slot 12extending perpendicular tothe slots? to fit a screw-threaded stud 13 provided with .a nut 14. Part B is not tightly clamped by this nut, but is free to expand lengthwise. The slot 12, in fact, provides for a longitudinal expansion of the entire frame.

Part C has'two heads 15, 16 adapted to be secured respectively to the approximate ends of the parts A and B, preferably by a tongue and groove joint 17 and through bolts 18, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Said heads are integrally connected by upper and lower beams 19, 20, so that this part constitutes an open vetrical girder section whose compression member 19 and tension member 20 are wide and deep enough to withstand all distorting stresses due to the weight and momentum of the rotating shaft, turbine bucket wheels and generator rotor. Integral with the part C is a journal box 21 for-the shaft 22.

Part D is an open frame forming a vertical girder section and having at one end ahead 23 for attachment to the end of the generator frame, part B. 'An upright integral' transverse post 24 forms a support for.

the stator frame for the exciter, whose rotor shaft iscoupled to the end of the shaft 22. An outboard bearing for the rotor shaft is carried by the part E which is bolted to the end member of the part D.

erator rotor and tending to twist the parts A and B out of proper relation are efficiently resisted. The weights of the intermediate I and overhanging portions are sustained by the stout and inflexible vertical girdermembers C and D.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together With the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried outby other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is

l. A girder frame for a horizontal turbine-driven set composed of a turbine casing having sole plates supporting it at two points, a casing for the driven element having a sole plate supporting it at a single point, said sole plates thus forming a threepoint support for the set, and a rigid vertical girder section uniting said casings.

v 2. A girder frame for a horizontal turbine-driven set composed of a turbine casing having sole plates supporting 'it at two points, a casing for the driven element having a'sole plate supporting it at a single point, said sole plates thus forming a threepoint support for the set, and a rigid vertical girder section uniting said casings and provided with a journal box for the shaft.

3. A girder frame for a horizontal turbine-driven set, composed of a casing for the turbine having sole plates containing transverse slots for fastening devices and supporting it at two points, a casing for the driven element having a sole plate containing a longitudinal slot for a fastening device and supporting it at a single point said sole plates thus forming a three-point support for the set, and a rigid open girder section connecting said casings.

4. A girder frame for a horizontal turbine driven set comprising a casing for the turbine, a casing for the driven element, a girder section uniting said casings, sole plates forming a three-point support for said casings, and having slots therein, and fastening devices connected to the casing and passing through said slots.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1th day of August, 1913.

RICHARD H. RICE.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. HATTIE, G. L. HUTGHINS. 

